D-Day Paratrooper Caught On Church Steeple Honored With Song "The Angels Of Sainte Mere Eglise"

American singer/songwriter Larry Whitler, from the duo Robin And The Giant, has released a new song that tells the story of the late Private John Marvin Steele, an American Parachutist in World War II, who became famous after his parachute became caught on a church steeple in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Normandy, France on June 6, 1944 in the early hours of the Allied Forces mission to liberate France from Nazi occupation.

Ocala, FL (PRWEB) May 20, 2009 -- As America and the world prepare to commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day, one of the many stories of heroism and miracle that is re-surfacing is that of the late American Paratrooper Private John Marvin Steele. The revived interest in Private Steele's amazing story is directly attributed to a song titled "The Angels Of Sainte Mere Eglise" by recording artist and songwriter Larry Whitler from the children's duo Robin And The Giant.

The song plays out like a mini-movie telling Private Steele's story as it unfolded on June 6, 1944, several hours before the beach landings at Normandy. Private Steele, a trooper in the 505th Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II, jumped before dawn that day into France at Sainte Mere Eglise. In trying to avoid landing on a burning barn, he became entangled by the steeple of a church. That church has become the centerpiece of the town and now features stained glass windows with artwork depicting paratroopers.

After first becoming entangled, Private Steele attempted to cut himself free but dropped his knife in the churchyard below. The sound of the knife hitting the ground drew the attention of a German soldier who then shot a pistol upward toward Private Steele hitting him in the foot.

Private Steele then pretended to be dead and remained hanging from the steeple while he witnessed his fellow paratroopers being shot as they descended to the ground. The burning barn radiated unwanted light making the paratroopers easy targets for the German soldiers. A total of 12 American Paratroopers died during the operation.

The incident was included in Cornelius Ryan's book "The Longest Day" and in the movie of the same name Steele's part was portrayed by actor Red Buttons.

After the fighting ended, German soldiers cut Private Steele down and took him prisoner to a first-aid station for treatment of the foot injury. He escaped and rejoined American forces. Later he received the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

The town of Ste. Mere Eglise was eventually liberated by the Allied troops and is listed historically as the first town in France to be liberated.

Private Steele passed away at the age of 57 in Fayetteville, North Carolina on May 15, 1969.

Larry Whitler's interest in the story occurred while he was doing research to submit music for consideration by a filmmaker in Canada who is producing a documentary about Canadian paratroopers. Whitler says, "There are so many amazing stories that have been told about the invasion of Normandy and of World War II and this one, of Private John Steele, somehow jumped out at me and begged to have a song written for it."

Whitler, along with his partner Robin MacBlane, have produced a YouTube video featuring the song "The Angels Of Sainte Mere Eglise" along with still shots of a mannequin that hangs from the church steeple in memory of Private John Marvin Steele.

Here are the words to the song:

"The Angels Of Sainte Mere Eglise"

By Larry Whitler

John Marvin Steele

Had a story to tell

From the north part of France

In Normandy

In the early hours of D-Day

Preparing to jump

Je suis American----

Je suis American---

The people of Sainte-Mère-Église

Remember that day in their hearts

And their streets

The liberation of Normandy

Vive la France

Nous somme libre---

Nous somme libre---

And the bells tolled

And the guns fired

And a barn burned down

And from the light of the fire

Hitler's Nazis were pickin' 'em off

As they fell into town

The 505th Parachute Infantry

Left their blood on the ground---

John Marvin Steele

Drifted down to that hell

Where the angels of Sainte-Mère-Église

Kept him from meeting a certin death

Down in the street

Gloire 'a Dieu---

Gloire 'a Dieu---

And the bells tolled

And the guns fired

And Private Steele hung on

For his life

Hitler's Nazis could not hold them off

And they met their defeat

Heaven in France was returned

To the angels of Sainte-Mère-Église

And the bells continue to toll

And the children run free in the streets

And a mannequin trooper hangs from the church

In John Marvin Steele's memory

And the bells toll

And they live their lives in peace

Heaven on earth in the north part of France

For the angels of Sainte-Mère-Église

To hear the song, go to www.12StringPoet.com. The video is located on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO-kB--T12Y

###